A Security Monitoring Framework For Virtualization Based HEP Infrastructures

High Energy Physics (HEP) distributed computing infrastructures require automatic tools to monitor, analyze and react to potential security incidents. These tools should collect and inspect data such as resource consumption, logs and sequence of system calls for detecting anomalies that indicate the presence of a malicious agent. They should also be able to perform automated reactions to attacks without administrator intervention. We describe a novel framework that accomplishes these requirements, with a proof of concept implementation for the ALICE experiment at CERN. We show how we achieve a fully virtualized environment that improves the security by isolating services and Jobs without a significant performance impact. We also describe a collected dataset for Machine Learning based Intrusion Prevention and Detection Systems on Grid computing. This dataset is composed of resource consumption measurements (such as CPU, RAM and network traffic), logfiles from operating system services, and system call data collected from production Jobs running in an ALICE Grid test site and a big set of malware. This malware was collected from security research sites. Based on this dataset, we will proceed to develop Machine Learning algorithms able to detect malicious Jobs.Comment: Proceedings of the 22nd International Conference on Computing in High Energy and Nuclear Physics, CHEP 2016, 10-14 October 2016, San Francisco. Submitted to Journal of Physics: Conference Series (JPCS

Diagnostic accuracy of transvaginal sonography for detecting parametrial involvement in women with deep endometriosis: systematic review and meta-analysis

Objective: To evaluate the accuracy of transvaginal sonography (TVS) for detecting parametrial deep endometriosis, using laparoscopy as the reference standard. Methods: A search was performed in PubMed/MEDLINE and Web of Science for studies evaluating TVS for detecting parametrial involvement in women with suspected deep endometriosis, as compared with laparoscopy, from January 2000 to December 2020. The Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies-2 (QUADAS-2) tool was used to evaluate the quality of the studies. Pooled sensitivity, specificity and positive and negative likelihood ratios for TVS in the detection of parametrial deep endometriosis were calculated, and the post-test probability of parametrial deep endometriosis following a positive or negative test was determined. Results: The search identified 134 citations. Four studies, comprising 560 patients, were included in the analysis. The mean prevalence of parametrial deep endometriosis at surgery was 18%. Overall, the pooled estimated sensitivity, specificity and positive and negative likelihood ratios of TVS in the detection of parametrial deep endometriosis were 31% (95% CI, 10–64%), 98% (95% CI, 95–99%), 18.5 (95% CI, 8.8–38.9) and 0.70 (95% CI, 0.46–1.06), respectively. The diagnostic odds ratio was 26 (95% CI, 10–68). Heterogeneity was high. Visualization of a lesion suspected to be parametrial deep endometriosis on TVS increased significantly the post-test probability of parametrial deep endometriosis. Conclusion: TVS has high specificity but low sensitivity for the detection of parametrial deep endometriosis. © 2021 The Authors. Ultrasound in Obstetrics & Gynecology published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd on behalf of International Society of Ultrasound in Obstetrics and Gynecology

Incidence of zygomycosis in transplant recipients

AbstractRecently, a remarkable increase in the incidence of zygomycosis has been reported from institutions in the USA and Europe. The use of voriconazole for the treatment of aspergillosis and, less frequently, the use of echinocandins as empirical treatment for invasive fungal infections are thought to be responsible for the increase. In addition, an increased incidence of this infection has been observed in transplant recipients, including both haematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT) and solid organ transplant (SOT) patients. There are no global surveys on the prevalence or incidence of zygomycosis, but data from individual institutions and countries show that zygomycosis is an emerging infection. The increased incidence of zygomycosis most probably reflects a greater frequency of predisposing factors, such as higher numbers of patients undergoing HSCT and immunosuppressive chemotherapy. In addition, the emergence of rare pathogens as a result of the rise in the use of antifungal therapy against common species can be postulated. Further, the availability of antifungal agents with activity profiles that are more specific for selected fungi increases the necessity of identifying pathogenic fungi; the frequency of Zygomycetes infections may have been underestimated until now because therapeutic decisions did not depend on the precise identification of pathogenic fungi

Involvement of intact inositol-1,4,5-trisphosphate-sensitive Ca2+ stores in cell cycle progression at the G1/S boundary in serum-stimulated human fibroblasts

AbstractThapsigargin, a selective inhibitor of the endoplasmic reticulum Ca2+ pump, has been shown to deplete inositol-1,4,5-trisphosphate-sensitive Ca2+ stores. Here we report that when thapsigargin was introduced to serum-stimulated human fibroblasts at a time point just before the G1/S boundary, it completely inhibited expression of cyclin A, activation of p33CDK2 cyclindependent kinase and initiation of DNA synthesis. In contrast, the Ca2+ mobilizing ionophore ionomycin was without effect. These findings indicate that Ca2+ inside the inositol-1,4,5-trisphosphatesensitive Ca2+ stores plays a pivotal role for traverse across the G1/S transition point

Lower Cretaceous (Hauterivian-Albian) ammonite biostratigraphy in the Maestrat Basin (E Spain)

Peer reviewedPublisher PD

Dynamical Processing of Geophysical Signatures based on SPOT-5 Remote Sensing Imagery

An intelligent post-processing computational paradigm based on the use of dynamical filtering techniques modified to enhance the quality of reconstruction of geophysical signatures based on Spot-5 imagery is proposed. As a matter of particular study, a robust algorithm is reported for the analysis of the dynamic behavior of geophysical indexes extracted from the real-world remotely sensed scenes. The simulation results verify the efficiency of the approach as required for decision support in resources management

Study of scintillation in natural and synthetic quartz and methacrylate

Samples from different materials typically used as optical windows or light guides in scintillation detectors were studied in a very low background environment, at the Canfranc Underground Laboratory, searching for scintillation. A positive result can be confirmed for natural quartz: two distinct scintillation components have been identified, not being excited by an external gamma source. Although similar effect has not been observed neither for synthetic quartz nor for methacrylate, a fast light emission excited by intense gamma flux is evidenced for all the samples in our measurements. These results could affect the use of these materials in low energy applications of scintillation detectors requiring low radioactive background conditions, as they entail a source of background.Comment: Accepted for publication in Optical Material

Status of the low beta 0.07 cryomodules for SPIRAL2

International audienceThe status of the low beta cryomodules for SPIRAL2, supplied by the Irfu institute of CEA Saclay, is reported in this paper. We summarise in three parts the RF tests performed on the cavities in vertical cryostat, the RF power tests of the qualifying cryomodule performed in 2010 and the RF power tests performed in 2011 on the first cryomodule of the serie

Design and evaluation of a treatment programme for Spanish adolescents with overweight and obesity. The EVASYON Study

Background The prevalence of overweight and obesity (OW/OB) among adolescents worldwide has increased since the 60 s. Spain has reached one of the highest OW/OB prevalence rates among adolescents from European countries. The aim of this methodological paper is to describe the design and evaluation in the EVASYON study (Development, implementation and evaluation of the efficacy of a therapeutic programme for adolescents with OW/OB: integral education on nutrition and physical activity). Methods/Design The EVASYON was planned by a multidisciplinary team to treat OW/OB in Spanish adolescents. The EVASYON is a multi-centre study conducted in 5 hospitals in 5 Spanish cities (Granada, Madrid, Pamplona, Santander and Zaragoza) and two hundred and four OW/OB Spanish adolescents were recruited for this intervention. The treatment was implemented for approximately one-year follow-up. The adolescents were treated in groups of a maximum of 10 subjects; each group had 20 visits during the treatment period in two phases: intensive during the first 2 months (1st to 9th visits), and extensive during the last 11 months (10th to 20th visits). In order to assess the efficacy of the treatment, 8 dimensions were measured: diet; physical activity and fitness; eating behaviour; body composition; haematological profile; metabolic profile; minerals and vitamins; immuno-inflammatory markers. Moreover, genetic polymorphisms were also determined. Discussion The treatment programme developed in the EVASYON study was designed as a national pilot study to be implemented as an effective treatment for adolescents with OW/OB into the Spanish Health Care Service